A brief history of Parramatta High School (page 6)

1940s History   menu   |   page 1   |   2   |   3   |   4   |   5   |   7   |   8

"I wonder if that marvellous 'School Spirit' we experienced in those days has stood the test of times... Perhaps I view my school days through rose-coloured glasses, well-tinted with age, but my memories are many and varied - and mostly very happy ones."
wrote Jan (Holland) Brennan (1949 enrolment year).

Undoubtedly the school spirit, forged so distinctly through the efforts of "Tommy" Atkins - the school's first headmaster, was as strong during the dark war years of the 1940's as it ever had been...

"The school spirit was strong and we were proud to be the only coeducational high school in the Sydney Metropolitan area"

The issue of co-education was to remain a vexed one in the school's history especially during the 1940's. Indeed, in many ways, the school appeared to be co-educational in name only.

Staff rooms were segregated and situated in opposite wings of the school. There were separate lunch and play areas and the boys sat on the one side of the classroom while the girls occupied the others.
(It is interesting though in these days of affirmative action - schools are now setting aside, in co-educational schools, girls-only areas in school playgrounds, so that girls can interact in peace without harassment from young males. Perhaps there was some method in this apparent segregated madness.)

The most obvious of the demarcation lines became known as the infamous "Porter Line" - the imaginary line dictated by Acting Headmaster Porter, segregating the senior boys from the senior girls which mysteriously one night became not so imaginary. Under cover of darkness and in true revolutionary style, one protester painted in a line on the playground, clearly marked "BUCKS" - one side - "DOES" - the other. The local newspaper got hold of the story and student references to the "Gestapo" likes tactics of "Snakey" Porter, did little to defuse the situation. The playground remained segregated for some years - but the point had been made and within a few years the segregation was removed (not till dear Mr Porter had left nonetheless - in 1946 to take up an appointment as Headmaster of Katoomba High School). As Deputy-Headmaster Porter also achieved infamy for his recitation, at frequent and regular intervals, of the school rules - usually as he stood on the steps above the top quadrangle.

---

Continue on to page 2 of the forties (page 7).

---

Return to the About Parramatta High page.
Return to the History menu page.
Complaints, suggestions, corrections, questions to the web designer please.

---